A bill to increase the speed limit is expected to advance through an Assembly committee Tuesday.
Under the proposal (AB-27), Department of Transportation traffic safety engineers would decide whether to increase speed limit on state highways to 70 miles an hour. The DOT would determine whether commercial vehicles should be restricted to lower limits.
Critics are concerned higher speeds could make highways less safe. Neighboring states have increased their maximum speeds to 70 mph, while Wisconsin’s top speed remains at 65. The Assembly Committee on Transportation held a public hearing on the bill last month.
After today’s vote, the measure would go to the full Assembly. A similar push in the last legislative session failed to get out of the Senate Transportation Committee.